Daily devotion – Joy to the world!
“Joy to the World” is an English Christmas carol. The carol was written in 1719 by the English minister and hymnwriter Isaac Watts, and its lyrics are an interpretation of Psalm 98 celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.
Psa 98:4 Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth; Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises.
I loved Christmas and going to Church Christmas eve and Christmas day as a child. It was such a joyous occasion as a young boy growing up in Western Australia. The Church would be filled on both occasions with families, friends from school, the whole community, and everybody had a beam on their face on those occasions. People all dressed in their ‘Sunday summer best’ clothes.
It was a simple service of singing, communion, and a sermon on Christ’s birth.
Sometimes we make Christmas too busy. We have so much arranged, organised, and to do. The modern Church thinking now is massive programs for Christmas. Lots of activities, lots of fun and glamour, programs for all ages, things to do for everyone.
My mother’s favourite verse in the psalms was, Psa 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God…
I am not sure if it’s just that Helen and I are growing older but my heart is telling me that Christmas and Church itself has become too busy.
That Church has grown into something it was never meant to be. Jesus refers to an inappropriate growth of the Church in Mark 4: 30 Then He said, “To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it? 31 It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; 32 but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade.”
Many preach that this is good growth…but the context of the passage is that the birds of the air are actually the enemy of the Church, false prophets, false teachers…and the Church has grown to become a place where such enemies of God can nest.
Is the modern Church in danger of programming Jesus out of Christmas? Two W’s and one P are what the early Church had as its one and only program!
Worship, the Word and Prayer!
I am always being advised when applying after shave that less is best! Could this be the best advice to us for Christmas as well?
As you celebrate Christmas with your family and friends at home this year, try the early Churches single program of worshipping God as a family to give thanks for the birth of Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Read the Christmas story from the Word of God, yes and especially with unsaved family and friends listening as well.
Finally, pray, for one another, for God’s blessing and praise for Jesus coming in what we call Christmas.
“Joy to the world…the Lord has come…!”